Labour Manchester Mayor Says Suicide Bomber ‘Not a Muslim’; insists the “worst thing that can happen” is people blaming Muslims

Andy Burnham, a former Labour frontbencher who was elected mayor this month, insisted the attack, claimed by Islamic State, had nothing to do with Islam.

“The message that I would want to get over – and this is how the vast majority of people feel – this man was a terrorist, not a Muslim,” he said, speaking to LBC Radio.

“He does not represent the Muslim community. We’ve got to keep that distinction in mind all the time. This was an unspeakable act. The worst thing that can happen is that people use this to blame an entire community, the Muslim community. …

Similarly, following the Westminster knife and car attack, Prime Minister Theresa May said the “Islamist” attack on Parliament was not “Islamic”.